Monday, February 22, 2010

I love the sunshine and blue sky. I'm not sure I can stress it enough. I do not care what the temperature is, just give me the sunshine and blue sky. Thank you, Jesus, for the gift of both today!

I love the color pink. Be it on a flower, a purse, a sandal or the new cardigan I bought today. It is such a happy color. I plan to wear the new sweater on the date I have with my husband Friday. We will be celebrating 16 years of marriage. woo-hoo!

I am getting tired of watching the Olympics. Seeing those incredible athletes from all over the world doing things that no one in their right mind does - well, it gets exhausting after awhile. Seriously, I get nervous going 85 mph on the Idaho freeway in my SUV, I would have to be out of my mind to go 85 mph down a mountain on two skinny pieces of wood! And how do they speed skate without falling over??? If I heard once that when the snowboarders fall out of a trick, it's like falling off a 22 foot building - I heard it five times, at least. I'd like to talk to the mothers of these athletes. How did they let go of the fear of their child getting seriously hurt? They are made of stronger stuff than I.

Last fall, Steve and I built a couple of raised garden boxes. They are not huge, but it's going to be fun to grow some vegies. I've been thinking about what to plant. There's so many choices. Do I start the seeds soon so I can plant little plants? Who am I kidding? I doubt I'll do that. When do I plant seeds in the ground? What are your favorite things to grow in a garden?

Have you heard of Aaron Shust? He's a Christian musician. I played his album "Anything Worth Saying" over and over last year. I received his latest album "Take Over" for Christmas and so enjoy it, too. Check it out. I like that he writes little essays to explain where the ideas for each song comes from.

We ate a cool place this weekend. I had seen this place on Food Network's "Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives". We were in the big city of Boise on Saturday, literally all over it. Well, Steve remembered this place and so he took us to Pizzal Chick. (They serve pizza, salad & chicken, thus the name.) Quite the eclectic place, but the food was fabulous! There's a big stone fireplace in the middle of the kitchen where they cook the pizzas & chickens. Plus he has a smoker in the alley for smoking meats (he was doing salmon that day). We had pizza - a BBQ chicken/red onion/kalamata olive one, an elk sausage/wild mushroom/sweet pepper one and of course a cheese pizza. Each was so delicious. Next time I will try the roasted chicken. I wish it was closer because it was that good. Idaho friends - you've got to try it. State and Glenwood (just past the fair grounds).

Monday, February 15, 2010

I apologize for posting this so late in the day. Everyone was home today and it messed up my "normal" schedule. That's the excuse I'm going with anyways. :)

I hope you all had a happy Valentine's weekend. I am still thinking of love so this is my verse:1John 4:19 NIV - We love because he first loved us. This verse reminds me that the only reason I can love is because of Him. If He hadn't loved me first, I'd haveno idea how to love. Because I am a parent I get the understanding behind this verse. And because I am a parent, I can not begin to fathom the depth of His love for me. I have loved my children since before they were born and were even aware of me. Yes, they are returning that love as they get older but it doesn't affect my love for them if they don't. My heart may ache more, but I still love them. Yet I realize my love for my children is but a drop in the bucket compared to God's love for me. He gave up his Son for me. The thought is overwhelming.

This verse also reminds me that without God I am nothing. If He didn't love me, I'd be returned to dust in a nanosecond. I can do nothing to earn his favor and in fact, the harder I try, the more I mess up. It's a good reminder of my humble status.

I'm so proud of you for doing this challenge! Keep up the good work, friends. The reward is so worth the hard work. Leave your name, verse & version.

Friday, February 12, 2010

First I want to say Thank You for all your prayers on my behalf regarding sleep. I have had four nights of blissful sleep. Four in a row. blissful. sleep. Those herbal pills were the ticket, I think. They are horse-pill sized and smell horrible, but I don't feel like I'm being pulled up from the underworld when I wake up each morning. I feel like a different person all day long. Sane. There's something to be said for sanity. grin.

It's Valentine's weekend and I'm thinking of all that I love. In no particular order:

**having the house all to myself today with no place I have to go. **my kids' belly laughs. Lately this has been happening at the dinner table. I smile thinking of it now.**my husband. I love dreaming with him, cooking for him, his support.**Spring flowers: tulips, lilacs, peonies. I'd really love to see some soon.**reading a good book. Just finished Sophie Kinsella's "Twenties Girl". Not a typical book for me, but I enjoyed the movie based on her book "Confessions of a Shopaholic" so I thought I'd try it. Just started Beth Moore's "So Long Insecurity, you've been a bad friend to us". After the first chapter, I know it's going to be just what the Physician ordered. Love to read.**seeing a good movie. We saw "The Blind Side" recently. Highly recommend this one. I've been watching Masterpiece Classic on PBS. I so enjoyed "Emma". This was a different cast and a longer version than last years with Kate Beckinsale. Much preferred this year's. Also a big fan of Pride and Prejudice. So funny.**Girls night out. **a tall glass of iced tea.**watching my daughter grow up into a thoughtful, caring, tender, fun young lady. She is such a delight.**Sunshine. **knowing my friends Sandy & Rob got the invitation to go get their adopted son in Kazakhstan this week. I love seeing God's hand in all of this. You can read their story here.**figuring out small portions of technology. Like installing the wireless router. I only yelled in frustration once, I only called my brother in law once, I only asked Ron at the router company help desk, "say that again, please" twenty times (don't think he was from Idaho...or the US). And I just figured out how to link in this post. These are big things in my world!**my son's sense of humor. Dry & quick. He loves to read the comics. We fight over who reads first in our house (well, Steve doesn't). The rule is, if you get the paper from outside, you get to read first.**learning from God's word. This week I learned that the spies who went into Canaan to check out the land came out carrying fruit. A cluster of grapes so big it had to be carried on a pole between two men. (Num 13:23) Now, Costco has some big grapes. But I'd look silly carrying them out on a pole. These spies returned and said, yes, the land is flowing with milk and honey and look at this fruit! (vs27) But the people who live there are powerful...they are stronger than we are...the land devours those living in it...we seemed like grasshoppers. (vs28, 31-33) These were the leaders of the people (vs3) and influential among the Israelites. They were focusing on the wrong things - the obstacles. And they influenced the two million people to grumble and complain and be afraid. As a result, none of those people were to see the promised land. (Num 14:23) Caleb and Joshua focused on what was exceedingly good and were allowed to enter the promised land. (vs30) So the question is this: what kind of influence are you? Do you see the obstacles? Or do you encourage others to expand their view of God's capacity & ability in their lives? Let's be like Caleb and Joshua - one in a million.

Wednesday, February 10, 2010

Check out my niece's cool blog (she's 16): fugitivefish.wordpress.com. She is doing an awesome challenge for the next couple of weeks. It is so cool to see how the internet can be used to glorify God! You go, Ashley!

Monday, February 8, 2010

I have had one good night of sleep since before I went to Houston in January. ONE. No exaggeration. I am desperate for a full night of sleep. Today I feel like my head weighs 25 pounds and it's kinda rummy inside. Ever felt that way? I even purchased a natural sleep aid from the "organic" section in the grocery store because Advil PM and Tylenol PM haven't been working. The days are so long when the nights are so short.

My son has adopted a pet on foopets.com. Have you heard of it? Anyone can go on and "adopt" a pet - they have all kinds. You then get to name it and take care of it. My son adopted a yellow lab puppy, named him Eddie and has been "feeding, watering and playing fetch" with him since before Christmas. Actually, since before Halloween, I think. If you don't feed or play with your pet, he becomes "detached" and the graph on his care page turns from green to yellow to red. When you go online to feed the pet, he even looks like he hasn't eaten in a week. So twice a day, my son goes online to feed and play with Eddie. Every time I get frustrated with the inconvenience of it (when we go out of town, Eddie goes to the kennel) and suggest that my son put Eddie up for adoption again, he gets this panicked look in his eyes and declares he's not doing that. I guess it is teaching him responsibility. Although the REAL LIVE Yellow Lab in our backyard doesn't get the attention Eddie does. For Pete's sake.

I experienced a total of one week of 70 degree weather in January by traveling to Phoenix for the Fiesta Bowl and to Houston for the SMT Celebration. Then I had to come home to gray Idaho. It's about 40 degrees, lots of foggy or overcast days. I don't like the in-between times. Either be winter - snowy & cold or get to spring. We did see the sun this morning but I was so tired it hurt to squint.

I have been experiencing technology frustration maxi mus. First the computer wouldn't work properly. Well, turns out, we had a bad virus. Got that fixed, but still wasn't running the way it should. Brother in law helped out with that. The wireless router hasn't been working, so I bought a new one today. Have yet to install it. The tech guy said it's easy. ha. The car decided to freak out, making weird sounds and then lights came on, power steering stopped working and brakes froze. Water pump replacement. Thankfully, still under warranty from the water pump replacement last year. Drove it two days, heard strange chatterings and it smelled hot. Took it back to the shop where they tightened some belt. I don't know my megabytes from my fan pulleys. Why can't things just work???? As my friend Christina said this weekend, "why do things have to be so fancy?" I just want to turn them on and they work. I guess it's a good thing my technology isn't voice activated. I've told it where to go so many times, it'd all be at the bottom of the lake by now.

1 Bless the LORD, O my soul;
And all that is within me, bless His holy name!
2 Bless the LORD, O my soul,
And forget not all His benefits:
3 Who forgives all your iniquities,
Who heals all your diseases,
4 Who redeems your life from destruction,
Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies,
5 Who satisfies your mouth with good things,
So that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
(Psalm 103:1-5, New King James Version)